In Shrewsbury and at Fenway, victims of Boston crash mourned; driver arrested

Monday

Jun 23, 2014 at 9:18 PMJun 23, 2014 at 9:34 PM

By Scott J. Croteau TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

SHREWSBURY— His office was at one of the best places for a kid who grew up in Central Massachusetts — Fenway Park.

Shrewsbury-raised John "Jack" Lanzillotti Jr. held a dream job as a video producer for the Red Sox when the unimaginable happened Saturday night.

Mr. Lanzillotti, 28, and his girlfriend, Jessica Campbell, 27, were killed as they walked in the Back Bay section of Boston. A car crashed into another at an intersection, causing one of the vehicles to roll over and strike the couple.

Mr. Lanzillotti was pronounced dead at the scene; Ms. Campbell died at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

On Monday, Boston police said Ghuzlan Alghazali, 26, of Allston, is being charged with two counts of motor vehicle homicide by negligent driving for allegedly running a red light and causing the crash at Beacon and Fairfield streets.

In additioni, Mohamed Alfageeh, 29, of Allston is charged with misleading investigators under the state's witness intimidation statute, police said. He allegedly told detectives that he was driving Ms. Alghazali's vehicle at the time of crash.

Ms. Alghazali, the driver, has a Massachusetts identification card but no driver's license or learner's permit, according to a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, which oversees the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Mr. Alfageeh's license was suspended indefinitely after Saturday's crash.

Ms. Alghazali and Mr. Alfageeh are to be arraigned Tuesday in Boston Municipal Court. The crash remains under investigation.

During an interview Monday, Maria Lanzillotti, Jack's younger sister, recalled her brother's pride in his job with the Red Sox. As she talked from the family's home in Shrewsbury, Ms. Lanzillotti paused for a moment, saying she was looking at her older brother's New England Emmy Award — something he earned as producer of videos and scoreboard entertainment at Fenway Park.

"He worked long hours but he had a lot of fun," Ms. Lanzillotti said. "There was nothing better than having Fenway Park as your office."

Mr. Lanzillotti worked for the Red Sox over the past seven years. He lived in Brookline.

The 2004 Shrewsbury High School graduate, who earned a degree from Boston University, produced features for NESN's weekly ''Red Sox Report'' and created many of the clips fans would view on the big screens at the ball park.

"His poise under pressure and good-humored manner helped us deliver consistently outstanding results. We are all grief-stricken, and we send our deepest sympathies and condolences to Jack's and Jessica's families,'' Red Sox President-CEO Larry Lucchino said in a statement.

His sister said Mr. Lanzillotti was a selfless man who would have fun with his friends if they showed up at Red Sox games. If they were in the stands, he'd sometimes make sure they were seen on the large video screen.

Ms. Lanzillotti, who lives in Los Angeles, pursued a career in television after she and her brother got the bug in high school. Her brother inspired her, pushed her and, looking to help his younger sister, was her part-time résumé writer, she said.

"All I can think of is who is going to help me with my résumé," said Ms. Lanzillotti, 25. "He was the grammar police."

She let out a little laugh while talking about her brother's criticisms of her text-messaging. He expected the grammar to be correct even then.

"He was the smartest guy in the room but he knew he was the smartest guy in the room," Ms. Lanzillotti said. "You knew you had to be right before you said something, because he knew he'd be right."

But Ms. Campbell, a New York native, could match or beat her beau's intelligence. The two became friends and eventually a relationship blossomed, Ms. Lanzillotti said.

"They were great for each other. It just worked," Ms. Lanzillotti said. "She was incredible. She was so witty and had a contagious smile."

Ms. Campbell attended Northeastern University and worked as a senior analyst at Kantar Retail in Boston.

Ms. Lanzillotti said she now has to earn a couple of Emmys of her own, one for her brother and one for herself. The friendly competition between siblings won't stop, she said.

"It's a tough story, tough to wrap your head around," Ms. Lanzillotti said. "It hasn't set in for anyone yet. We're just not sure what is going on. It is one of those things, you feel so untouched when you are young. You feel invincible, and that's not true."

Contact Scott J. Croteau at scott.croteau@telegram.com .Follow him on Twitter @ScottCroteauTG Material from The Associated Press and The Boston Globe was used in this report.